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Superdetailed 'Nam Skyraider (Trumpy) - updated 21/10 - DONE!&


richdlc

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Hi guys - here's my latest project, the Trumpeter 1/32 A-1H / AD-6 Skyraider. 

 

 This one's going to be finished as a USAF Vietnam-era machine.  I was planning on finishing it as a VNAF aircraft, but then I found out that the Yankee ejection seat was removed from the majority of these machines, and as I quite fancied scratchbuilding this, I went for a US aircraft..

 

You may be wondering what happened to the B-26K project - well that's on the backburner for now....there is one being restored in the US, but as they are only halfway through, I don't have enough reference pics at the moment.

 

Back to the Skyraider - the Trumpeter kit is quite accurate and detailed.  It shares some of the features of the Zoukei Mura offering, but is much less complex to build.

 

I wanted to show as much internal detail and as many open panels as possible, and I started with the engine bay - a nice guy who owns an AD4-N variant in France provided me with numerous photos.  Armed with this information, I can now show the engine bay, accessory compartment, engine mount & engine itself in detail.

 

The engine mounting bulkhead provided in the kit is quite accurate - here's a photo of the real thing compared to the kit part:

 

ctfcccf_zps6d05b094.png

 

 

IMG_8012_zpsbe4b5789.jpg

 

more on that part later....

 

The oil tank is a distinctive shape - I'm hoping that its the same on all Skyraider variants (although please correct me if I am wrong):

 

IMG_0396_zps368ba664.jpg

 

IMG_0469_zpsb4e60d52.jpg

 

The kit's oil tank is either wrong...or I am:

 

IMG_8009_zpsf2506181.jpg

 

 

too late now  - I've started to re-shape it:

 

IMG_8024_zps87020123.jpg

 

I'm guessing this is the hydraulic fluid reservoir:

 

IMG_0447_zps15a171db.jpg

kit part is basic:

 

IMG_8008_zpsa3dd4337.jpg

I started to re-work & detail it - there's lot's I can't add until later on in the process, but here's where I am up to:

 

IMG_8036_zps51c5aeb1.jpg

 

IMG_8035_zpsb1fe77fb.jpg

Edited by richdlc
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The engine mount has a distinctive construction with many complex curves and shapes on the inside framing:

 

Picture4_zps4dfd283f.png

 

jblj_zps6b17e917.png

 

Trumpeter provide the basic shape:

 

IMG_8010_zps31fc9ff9.jpg

 

I started to build up the internal framing to give it a more pleasing appearance - mostly hidden later, but I'm happier with how it looks now...

 

IMG_8021_zps60fbd41a.jpg

 

IMG_8031_zps050fe63b.jpg

 

There are little 'gills' on the outside part of the mounting ring - here's the kit representation:

 

IMG_8015_zpsd6b436b2.jpg

 

I removed these & replaced them with thin metal sheet:

 

IMG_8019_zpsfc52735f.jpg

 

Finally for now, I had a go making the large air filter that dominates the lower inside part of the engine mount:

 

Picture4_zps4dfd283f.png

 

I knew that the Trumpeter bombs and weapons provided in the kit weren't the most accurate & it was unlikely I'd use them, so I chopped up one of the larger bombs that seemed like an accurate diameter for the filter:

 

IMG_8022_zpsa83acf08.jpg

 

I blanked off the ends with plastic card, then added some photoetched screen:

 

IMG_8029_zps5378eae6.jpg

 

That's it for now, more to come as I progress!
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*update 22/1/14*


 


Time for a quick update...


 


been working away at the engine mount.  The first thing I did was to build the cradle for the air filter and attach it to the mount frame.  On the real thing the filter is mounted with the top end tilted back towards the bulkhead.  I think I might have made the angle a bit too steep on my version, but it's not too noticeable.  Besides - it all has to jostle for space with the oil and hydraulic fluid tanks plus loads of other gizmos, all of which are built by dead reckoning - as long as I can cram it all in there I'm happy.


There's also some cool little gadgets and wires on the starboard side.  It's just a matter of deciding which ones I can affix now, and which ones I need to leave until later because they are either attached to the engine or disappear into the bulkhead.  Bearing this in mind I added what I could right now.


 


kkkkkkk_zps69c967fe.png


 


 


IMG_8042_zps69a2898c.jpg


 


 


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IMG_8044_zpsb6dc24bc.jpg


 


 


On the real aircraft there is a panel on each side of the mount that is left in natural metal - I replicated these with pewter sheer - rivets added with a Trumpeter riveting tool:


 


521141b4-5e0f-48e0-8d6b-eae521548cbd_zps


 


 


IMG_8038_zps23fea779.jpg


 


 


On the port side next to the air filter is an unidentified gadget - probably some kind of pump (the black thing in the centre of this picture):


 


108fc4f4-0afb-4026-b762-09fa7c8e1f2c_zps


 


 


The round part is attached to the engine mount - the other part has wires and stuff that attach elsewhere - I'll have to figure out where they go and make this part later.  For now I made the round part and its little mount:


 


IMG_8039_zps4ff869a9.jpg


 


 


And that's where I am up to as of last night!  


 


Stay tuned & thanks for looking


 


Rich


Edited by richdlc
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Hi Rich,

 

Amazing job .....speachless....!!I had allready started mine Skyraider.....and you help me a lot!!!

I cannot do your detail ....i havn't your skills...but i take my lessons from your job!!!

 

Keep going mister....we are follow you!!!!

 

Filippos

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